My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back
Chapter 158: Her Way of Protecting

Chapter 158: Her Way of Protecting

The ride was quiet.

Lucas sat in the backseat, hands clenched together on his lap, eyes darting from one window to the next. Every familiar building they passed sent a strange shiver down his spine, like déjà vu that never quite settled. He said nothing. Neither did Eryx. Lunara occasionally glanced back at him, offering small, awkward smiles that he didn’t know how to return.

When they finally arrived, Eryx parked in front of Grantham’s mansion. It loomed as grand as ever, but to Lucas, it felt like stepping into someone else’s life.

He followed them hesitantly.

Inside, Regina sat elegantly in the living room, one hand resting on a thick folder, her phone beside her. Hearing their footsteps, she stood up and her lips were already parting to say something and from her expression it was about business.

But then she saw him.

Her words died on her tongue. The folder slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a dull thud.

Lucas paused in the doorway.

Regina’s eyes widened, her breath visibly hitching. For a long second, no one moved.

"I brought him home. The place where he should be, Mom," Eryx said quietly, his voice heavy with emotion.

Regina’s lips parted, but no words came out. Her gaze landed on Lucas and her whole body tensed.

Lucas took a tentative step forward. "I’m sorry... I broke my promise to you. I went out today and ended up meeting them."

Regina blinked, her eyes beginning to glisten. "I—I can explain." Her voice was barely audible, trembling.

She looked at Lucas, then at Eryx, her expression torn—fear, guilt, and overwhelming relief crashing through her features.

"You were so hurt, Lucas. I mean... after the accident... your survival rate was so low, I truly believed we’d lost you." Her voice cracked. "When you finally opened your eyes, I knew... I just knew... I couldn’t let anyone from this family... our family... touch you again."

Eryx’s gaze darkened, his jaw clenched. "I understand why you did it, Mom. I do. But this was still wrong." His voice was quiet but sharp, heavy with hurt. "For three damn years, we thought he was dead."

Regina’s lips trembled. "I know. I know, Eryx. I should’ve told you. But I was scared. You know what your grandma is capable of. Lucas wasn’t safe, not truly, not even from within our own walls."

"Is there something else we should know, mom?" Eryx frowned, "It looks like you are hiding more from us."

Regina shook her head, "I know that you guys thought I cause the accident—"

"Mom, no..." Eryx raised his hand and sighed, "I was wrong, at that time I was so angry that I blurted out all the hurtful words but I know you didn’t cause the accident."

Regina shook her head again, "No, really, after I asked someone to investigate the cause of the accident that night, it looks like someone was really tampering with the car three years ago."

Eryx stiffened. "What... are you saying?"

Regina took a deep breath, her voice trembling. "It wasn’t just a tragic accident. Someone wanted that car to crash. And they made sure you were in it."

Silence followed. Heavy. Suffocating.

Eryx’s eyes darkened. "Who?" he asked quietly, the question sharp as a knife.

Regina hesitated, her hands clenched together tightly. "I don’t know for sure. But something about that night never sat right with me. The brakes... the way it happened... it wasn’t normal. I had the car examined afterward, quietly. There were signs of tampering."

Eryx’s expression darkened. "Tampering?"

She nodded. "Yes. But I don’t have proof of who did it. Just... suspicions. And fear. After everything, I couldn’t take the risk. I had to hide Lucas until I was sure he was safe."

Lucas swallowed hard. "So it wasn’t just a crash. Someone wanted it to look that way."

Regina’s eyes brimmed with tears. "All I ever wanted was to protect you. All of you. Please, believe me."

"Mom!" Naomi’s voice rang from the stairs. "Mom..." she called again, appearing halfway down, her footsteps light. But as she caught sight of the group gathered in the living room, her pace slowed. "Do we have a guest, Mom?"

She walked casually toward them, expecting a stranger—but then froze mid-step.

Her eyes locked on Lucas.

The air shifted.

She stared at him, her mouth parted slightly in disbelief, and her voice dropped to a whisper. "No way..."

Lucas gave her a faint, uncertain smile, but didn’t speak.

Naomi blinked rapidly. "Allan?" Her voice trembled. "Is it really you?"

She turned toward Regina, her expression pleading. "Tell me I’m not hallucinating, right?" Her eyes darted between them, silently demanding answers.

Regina stepped forward slowly, placing a hand on Naomi’s shoulder. "It’s him, sweetheart. He’s home."

Naomi’s breath hitched. "But... how? We all thought—" Her voice broke. "You said he didn’t make it!"

"I had to protect him," Regina whispered. "He was hurt. So badly. And I didn’t want anyone to come after him again."

Naomi turned back to Lucas, searching his face. "Oh my God. It’s really you, Allan."

She stepped closer, her hand trembling as she reached up to touch his face—gently, as if afraid he might vanish if she blinked.

Lucas didn’t pull away, but he looked even more confused, his brows furrowed as he tried to process the emotion pouring from this stranger who clearly wasn’t a stranger to him.

At that moment, Naomi’s tears spilled freely. "He looks different...I mean, like he didn’t know us..."

"He lost his memory," Lunara, who had been quiet from the moment they stepped inside, spoke up.

The room fell silent as everyone turned to her. Lucas blinked in confusion, as if trying to absorb what she said, but the truth felt so foreign to him. He reached up to touch his forehead, as if the memories would somehow come back with the motion. "I... I can’t remember. I don’t remember any of you... I’m really sorry." His voice broke slightly at the admission.

The room grew heavy with emotion as Naomi’s words hung in the air. Her hands trembled as she gently cupped Lucas’s face, her eyes full of a mixture of hope and heartache. "It’s okay, as long as you come back to us."

Lucas swallowed hard, his chest tight, and he nodded slowly, though the uncertainty in his eyes remained.

Eryx stepped forward, his voice softer than usual. "You don’t need to figure it all out right now, Lucas. You’re home. We’ll take it one step at a time. We’re here for you."

Lucas’s gaze flicked between Eryx and Naomi, the familiar faces feeling both comforting and strange at the same time. "But what if I can’t remember?"

Naomi squeezed his hands tightly, as if grounding him in this moment. "Then we’ll remind you. Piece by piece. I know it won’t be easy, but we’ll do it together."

Lunara, standing quietly in the background, stepped forward now. Her voice was gentle, but there was a quiet strength to it. "Sometimes the heart remembers even when the mind forgets. Trust in the people who love you."

=====

Later that evening, the house had quieted down. Naomi had taken Lucas to rest, Regina disappeared into her study, and the weight of the day finally began to settle in.

Eryx closed the door to his room with a soft click, finding Lunara already there, sitting at the edge of the bed. The silence stretched between them.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Didn’t expect today to go like that," he muttered, not really knowing how to begin.

Lunara didn’t look at him. Her gaze was fixed on the floor, her fingers nervously picking at the hem of her sleeve. "Yeah," she said quietly. "Me neither."

Eryx leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching her. "Listen, about earlier... Can you let me explain...?"

Lunara shook her head, "I..." she paused, "I just not ready to hear it today. There are a lot of things happening today that made me feel tired. Can we talk about it tomorrow?"

Eryx’s posture softened. He gave a slow nod, taking a step back immediately. "Okay," he said quietly. "Tomorrow."

Lunara stood up, brushing her hands down her sleeves as if trying to smooth out more than just fabric. She moved toward the bathroom, her steps slow, but steady. Her hand reached for the doorknob, but she paused there, lingering.

"Thanks," she said suddenly, her back still to him.

Eryx looked up. "For what?"

She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes meeting his. "For rebuilding the flower shop."

Eryx blinked, caught off guard by her words. "...About the shop?"

Lunara gave a small nod. "I know it was you. You didn’t have to, but... thank you."

Eryx looked down, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wanted to do it sooner. I just didn’t know if you’d be okay with it."

She didn’t respond right away. Instead, she reached for the bathroom door, fingers resting on the handle. Then she paused again.

"I haven’t forgiven you yet," she said softly, not turning to face him. "But that doesn’t mean I didn’t notice the things you’ve done."